


Fighting Words

by back2beesness



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Lots of Arguing, M/M, Protective!Neil, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, aaron and neil start taking shots at each other and it goes a bit wild, absolutely - Freeform, also, also what aaron said to neil at the cabin, and midterms, because it pisses me off that that was never addressed, but neil doesn't like him and this is from neil's perspective so be warned about that, cuz i can do what i want, did i edit and write half of this in one night?, neil goes off again, protective!Andrew, so we're addressing it baby!, so you can't really blame them, sorry i like writing angry neil dialogue it's a problem, this is NOT anti-aaron, we get really into why neil and aaron have problems with each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:34:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25480990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/back2beesness/pseuds/back2beesness
Summary: Neil has a bad day, and Aaron is in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, at the wrong time. Neil is protective, and so is Andrew, and it's a bit of a shitshow. Basically Neil and Aaron argue for a few thousand words about Neil/Andrew. Also there's some soft Andreil at the end because I can't deny them any happiness, so there's that.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 5
Kudos: 381





	Fighting Words

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, wrote some more angry Neil, since that seems to be my particular niche. Does the setup make too much sense? Not really. I just like writing Neil and Aaron laying out their issues with each other, since they basically both just want what's best for Andrew but can't seem to agree on jackshit. Enjoy.

It had been a long week. Between Kevin driving everyone harder than ever and midterms fast approaching, Neil wasn’t exactly in a good mood. Neither was anyone else on the team, for that matter. Matt and Dan were more able than most to keep their schedules balanced, which meant that they were doing slightly better than, say Kevin and Aaron, who loaded up their classes like it was a competition, each slogging their way through the higher levels of their individual major requirements. Kevin was lucky enough to be insanely passionate about his history major, much like he was with all of his interests, but the wide range of classes required for the pre-med track meant that in any given semester Aaron was usually taking quite a few classes that he had little interest in. That meant that come exam season, he was like a ticking time bomb, and the team knew for the most part to steer clear.

Neil had never been one for taking hints however, and it didn’t help that he’d been having a shitty day to begin with. He was up around four from a nightmare that had him slipping into his running shoes and bolting out the Tower like a man possessed. By the time he made it back, he had an obscenely early class in fifteen minutes and had to sprint out the door to make it on time. Once that class was over, and since the rest of his day was free, Neil was planning on seeing if he could convince Andrew to join him in sleeping in for a few more hours, but once he got back to the dorm he realized Andrew had already left for his first class, and wouldn’t be back until it was time for afternoon practice, which he’d be driving them to and then leaving for a session with Bee.

Now that Aaron had pushed his way into Andrew’s regular sessions, he began planning individual sessions later in the week when he needed them. It had made Aaron’s hackles rise, as if he somehow thought that he had a right to be partial to everything Andrew wanted to bring up in therapy. As usual, the thought set Neil’s teeth on edge, but he pushed it aside. He’d been doing his best to keep out of the twins’ relationship ever since he’d basically been the reason Aaron got out of his deal with Andrew. It was a bit different meddling without a target on his back; he couldn’t keep expecting someone else to come put an end to him before Andrew got pissed enough to do it himself anymore.

Neil knew he should’ve been studying, but as soon as he opened his biology textbook his eyes started to drift close. It felt like he’d barely shut them when Kevin came barreling through the door, slamming his bag down on his desk, startling Neil awake. Turning back to his book, he started pretending to be deeply absorbed in his readings, but it seemed Kevin didn’t buy it since he sat down on the other end of the couch and turned on the TV full volume. Neil turned to glare at him, to which Kevin responded with a skeptical look. With that, Neil shut his textbook with a huff and dropped it on the couch, heading for his bed to see if he could get any sleep before they had to leave for practice.

It was an unproductive half hour as Neil lay in bed, trying to drown out the sound of whatever stupid documentary Kevin was watching in the other room. It took everything in him not to start beating himself up for it. A few years ago he could’ve slept through a train driving over his head. Not anymore. Now he was so weak that it only took the TV being a few decimals too high to completely wreck any shot he had at catching up on sleep. Eventually he sighed, burying his head in his pillow. Just as he did, there was a rapping sound at the door.

Nicky stuck his head in with a grin. “Hey sleepyhead, practice time! I’d hurry if I were you, Andrew is already in the car and he doesn’t seem to be in a patient mood.”

Neil groaned and hauled himself out of bed, throwing a sweatshirt over his workout shirt. Most of what he wore around campus at this point could probably be qualified as workout gear, not that he cared. Even though the Foxes had taken it upon themselves to always get Neil clothes as presents, thus filling up, and in their opinions, fixing, his wardrobe, Neil made sure to put in the occasional request for more athletic gear. It was hard for the upperclassmen to turn him down when he explicitly asked for something, given how rarely he did it, which meant that despite the plethora of less sports-related clothes Andrew and Nicky kept tossing his way, he still had a wide selection of workout gear to choose from.

He finished pulling his shoes on and shot out the door, jogging lightly down the steps as Nicky locked the door behind Kevin, who seemed to be working out a sore muscle in his shoulder. Neil thought about how if he hurried, he might get to sit with Andrew for a few extra seconds before they made it downstairs, and hurried a bit faster.

By the time he got to the door, Nicky and Kevin were far behind him. The beginnings of a smile died on his face when he saw that Aaron was already in the car with his head leaning forward between the front seats, facing Andrew. Not entirely usual behavior, but Neil tried not to bother himself with what Aaron did, so he pulled the passenger’s side door open and collapsed into the seat. He turned to face Andrew with a tired smile, completely ignoring the glare Aaron shot him as he leaned back.

Andrew turned to look at him passively, simply raising an eyebrow. Some part of Neil began to settle slightly, and he curled his feet up under him on the seat and waited for Nicky and Kevin.

By the time they pulled into the court parking lot, Neil was starting to dread getting out of the car. It wasn’t that practice had stopped being something he looked forward to, it was just that at the moment, he wanted to be with Andrew more than he wanted to get out on the court. His head was starting to ache, and all he wanted was to lay down with Andrew, who would probably opt to sit up in bed reading, and take a nap.

But while he didn’t really care about missing one practice right then, he knew how vital Andrew’s sessions with Bee were to him, and he didn’t want to risk Andrew cancelling over him. One bad day wasn’t enough to risk Andrew having a bad week. So instead he climbed out of the car, giving a half-hearted wave over his shoulder, avoiding Andrew’s eyes, which narrowed slightly at his lack of enthusiasm. It didn’t seem to matter too much though, and by the time they were opening up the door to the stadium, the Maserati was already pulling out of the lot.

Practice wasn’t anything new, except that everyone on the team, Kevin excluded, seemed to have lost some steam. The pressures of college academia seemed to weigh heavily on those with sports scholarships at times like this, and the Foxes, despite their unconventional makeup, were no exception. It showed in practice though, which made Kevin, and to a lesser extent Wymack, provide more criticism, and generally put the heat on, the last thing most of the team needed. They took out their stress and their exhaustion on each other, and it led to practice turning from generally lethargic to downright violent in the span of a few minutes, after more than a few choice comments from Kevin.

As they all trudged out of the locker rooms, it seemed like everyone needed at least eight hours of sleep and some time away from each other. Even the upperclassmen were hardly speaking to each other, less from any particular grievance weighing them down and more from the general fatigue that seemed to be overtaking them.

As Neil was trudging slowly over to the couch, he felt Aaron push past him, nearly knocking him off balance.

“Hey, watch where you’re going,” Neil demanded, although somewhat less heatedly than he felt.

“Why should I?” Aaron stopped before sitting on the couch.

Neil rolled his eyes. “Because it takes, like, two extra seconds to choose not to be a total dick.”

“You’re one to talk. Plus, I have better things to do with my time.” Aaron snorted.

“Why do I doubt that?”

From his office down the hall, Wymack called, “Knock it off.”

Aaron ignored him. “Not all of are lives are as fucking useless as yours, you know.”

Neil stopped in his tracks. “What the fuck is your problem.” It wasn’t a question.

“What?”

“Seriously, dude. What the fuck is your problem with me? You’ve hated me since the day I fucking got here, and I can’t figure out for the life of me exactly what I’ve done to piss you off so badly. Is it that I’ve been playing for a quarter of the time you have, and I’m three times the player you are? Because I can see why that could be frustrating.” Even as he said it, Neil felt the eyes of the room turn to him. It wasn’t that he had set out to pick a bone with Aaron today, but the combination of his growing pounding head, bone deep exhaustion, and Aaron’s general bad mood were starting to grate on his nerves.

It seemed to strike a nerve with Aaron, however. “Fuck you. I’m going to be more than this stupid fucking sport, and you’ll be stuck doing this until you die, or until you stop being good at it. Though given your position, they might happen at the same time.”

Neil rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll be really regretting my choices when I’m making millions of dollars doing what I love and you’re up to your eyeballs in IV fluid still paying off your student loans. That’ll really show me.”

Aaron was slowly turning red. “At least I’ll be doing something worthwhile.”

“Considering how much you and Andrew fight, you really are more similar than you know. He doesn’t care about Exy either. But unlike you, he has the talent to be something someday, so I guess maybe you’re not all that alike.”

“Fuck you.”

“I’d rather not. You still haven’t answered my question though. I have a headache, I’m exhausted, and more than that I just don’t feel like taking your usual bullshit today. So let’s get it out of your fucking system. What is your deal?”

Aaron opened his mouth, before closing it again in frustration. Finally, he blurted out, “It’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair?”

“That I have to fight tooth and nail for every inch with him and you just what. Fuck him and get whatever you want?” It didn’t take Neil too long to figure out who he was talking about.

He let out a bitter laugh. “I should’ve known you’d pull this shit again. It’s funny what you’re willing to risk saying when he isn’t here. I guess that’s just how cowards are.”

Aaron’s jaw was clenched and unclenched. “Cowards? You want to talk about being a coward? Jesus, you were willing to let all of us be, what, collateral damage in your one-man war? That you ended up forfeiting anyways? Fuck you.” Neil could almost see a vein popping out in his forehead.

“No, fuck you,” he spat back, “Last season was supposed to be the last thing I ever did. The only place that I might be remembered when I died. And it was selfish, bringing you all into it. You were supposed to be safe in the spotlight. And people suffered for it. Not you though. Jean? Yes. Seth too. And...and Andrew. I’m a lot of things. A runaway, a liar, a monster. But don’t you ever call me a goddamn coward.”

Aaron pointed a finger in Neil’s face, almost spitting. “He’s so worried about threats to me or Kevin, but he’s blind, completely blind to the fact that you are exactly that. Not even a threat, you’re worse. You’re a manipulative bastard. You used him to keep you safe, and now that you are, what’s to stop you from up and leaving him like everyone else? Why the fuck should I trust you with him, when all you’ve ever shown us is how easily you lie and steal and run?”

Neil scoffed, not wanting to show how close to home that particular line of thinking hit him. “Go to hell, Aaron. You wrote him off the minute you met him and saw that he wasn’t everything you wanted him to be. You of all people should know what he’s willing to do for you. He’d risk anything for you. You don’t even notice when he does it for you, but when he does it for anyone else suddenly you’re up in arms. I’m manipulative? Try looking in a fucking mirror.”

Aaron looked ready to start swinging, but Matt put a warning hand on his shoulder. He could just see Renee inching towards him from her side of the room, and knew that she was the insurance regarding any violence from his end. Instead of calling her out, he turned to face Aaron again.

“You drive me insane. You know he’d kill for you, right? I’d say he’d die for you too, but we both know his life never meant much to him anyway. He kept you safe at the cost of losing your trust, or whatever affection you ever had for him. And if you think that’s indifference, you clearly don’t know him.”

“You want to know why I hate you?” Aaron was practically yelling at this point. “Because Andrew spent years chasing girls away from me. Some were bad for me. But some were fine. And then Katelyn...Katelyn is perfect. She’s an honor grad with straight A’s and a good family, and she’s so much better than I deserve. She treats me like I’m something, like I’m someone. And he didn’t even care to hear that. But when it comes to him, to who he chooses, I’m just supposed to be fine with the random assholes he hookups with? I’m not. And then there’s you. The one he chose,” he spat. It was like he couldn’t stop at this point, like he’d been holding all of this vitriol inside of him and it was finally bursting out. “Someone who is so much worse than who I chose. You’re dangerous. You’re connected to dangerous people, and what’s more than that, what they can’t see, or refuse to see, is that you’re dangerous people too. And he, who can’t stand to be in the same room with my valedictorian, pre-med, angel of a girlfriend, expects me to just sit and take his relationship with you. He wasn’t willing to let me date her because he realized she was good for me, but because he wants to go fuck himself up so badly over you. You’re only going to leave him. These idiots can all sit around and worry about him breaking your heart all they want. I’m way more worried about him. There is nothing, nothing to keep you from leaving him behind, and not all of us can just get over that kind of shit.” By the end of his tirade, Aaron’s chest was heaving, and he was staring, wide-eyed, at Neil.

In the ringing silence, Neil just whispered, “You’re right.”

Aaron snorted. “About what part?”

“I’m not good enough for him.”

“I never fucking said that.”

Neil looked down at him. “You didn’t have to. But you’re wrong about me leaving.”

“Really? You chose your name out of a fucking hat. Everything about you is fake. You’re not a permanent kind of person.”

“I can’t just leave this time. You said there’s nothing to keep me from leaving. You’re wrong. There’s Andrew. Because it’s him. It’s always going to be him. And if you can’t fucking see that, I don’t know what else you want me to say, because nothing that comes out of my mouth is going to convince you. You played me for a fool once, trying to prove that Andrew and I had something. But even knowing that I care about him, you still can’t let go. You two are more similar than you’ll ever be willing to admit. But believe me when I say I have no fucking clue what she sees in you. At least Andrew is honest about who he is. Always has been. You’re nothing but a liar. And that’s why he can’t stand you sometimes.”

At that it seemed like something in Aaron finally snapped, and he broke out of Matt’s grip to take a swing at Neil. Just as his fist was about to make contact with Neil’s nose, someone yanked Neil backwards towards the exit to lounge, pulling him just out of the path of Aaron’s swing.

By the time Neil steadied himself again, the whole room had turned to see Andrew, who had quickly let go of the back of Neil’s shirt and was standing directly behind him by the exit. It was probably too subtle for the others to notice, but Neil didn’t miss the way his hand reached towards the edge of his armbands.

“Andrew, don’t.”

Andrew just looked up at him. “Why not?”

“Consider us even. I took a swing at him once too, but mine actually connected, even though I probably wasn’t throwing a punch too well at that point. It’s fine.”

There was an apprehensive silence that seemed to stretch for far longer than it was. Neil kept looking straight at Andrew. There was a look in his eyes that told Neil he’d be explaining that particular story later on, but it seemed to be enough for him to drop his hands and, after giving Aaron a slow once over, start for the parking lot.

“Car, now.”

With a few cautious looks exchanged between the upperclassmen, Nicky, and Kevin, the rest of Andrew’s lot followed carefully behind him and piled into the car.

The drive back was tense, and silent. Andrew didn’t really play the radio anymore, and even Nicky couldn’t seem to find anything to fill the silence. When they pulled back in at the Tower, everyone in the back row, Aaron, included, took one look at Andrew’s expression and bolted, the door to the stairs swinging shut behind them.

Neil just turned to Andrew in the dark of the parking lot, eyes wide. “I'm sorry.”

“Shut up.”

“I shouldn’t have done that, and there isn’t any excuse.” He let out a tired sigh. “I don’t need Bee to tell me I shouldn’t take my bad days out on other people, especially people you care about.”

“I don’t.”

Neil glanced over. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t care.”

“Well, I’d be feeling loads better if I believed that, but you’re definitely pissed.”

Andrew ground his teeth. “I don’t need...that.”

“What?”

“Your,” he said, almost spitting out the word, “protection. Work out your issues with Aaron on your own time. Or don’t. But don’t get into shit with him over me.”

Neil snorted softly. “Well, despite our completely opposing temperaments, most of our disagreements seem to be over you, so no can do. But I’ll try not to lose control like that again. Like I said,” he looked out the window, “bad day.”

Andrew looked over at him for a long moment before finally nodding. With that he opened the door and started heading up to their room, Neil following quietly behind. As they opened the door to the dorm up on the second floor, Nicky and Kevin both looked up from their positions on the couch.

Andrew ignored them easily, heading straight for their room. Neil kept close behind him, wanting to avoid any confrontation over that evening’s particular disaster for as long as possible. Andrew propped the window open as he made his way in, taking a rare moment to light up a cigarette in their room. It usually made Kevin get on his case, partially for the smell and partially for health reasons, but today seemed to be a day that it was worth the annoyance of a lecture at a later date to Andrew.

Neil stood, shifting back and forth, unsure whether they were done talking. Andrew just took a drag, looking out the window.

Finally Andrew broke the silence. “Why did you try to punch Aaron?”

Neil hesitated. “He...said some things.”

“What things.” Andrew seemed to be getting tired of questions.

Neil sighed, knowing he’d end up telling the whole story anyways. “It was after Baltimore, when we were all at the cabin. I went to get a refill for my drink and he stopped me. He said some things about us, about why I was with you that...made me angry. I threw a punch at him, and made contact. My hands were still healing though, so I think I did more damage to myself than to him. But afterwards, he just smiled at me. It took me a few seconds to figure out he had tricked me. He was trying to see whether I’d be willing to defend you, to defend us, so that he could use it as leverage to get out of your deal.”

From his seat at the window, Andrew looked silently incensed, at least to Neil. But he couldn’t tell exactly what part of it had made him so mad, so he just continued talking, hoping to mollify him somewhat.

“I’m sorry. I gave away more than I intended to, and he used it against you.”

Andrew didn’t dignify that with a response. “Your hands. Did you do permanent damage?”

Neil shook his head hastily. “No, no, I don’t think so. I was fine.”

This time Andrew let out a barely noticeable huff. “Fine.”

“It is. It’s fine now. I’m just sorry that I let him use me like that.”

“He shouldn’t have. He didn’t have any right to.”

Neil shrugged. “Anymore than you had a right to mess with Katelyn?”

Andrew leveled a glare at him.

“It’s in the past. Right now, I need some sleep.” Neil said, already almost yawning as he turned to climb into his bunk.

“Wait.”

Neil looked over at Andrew, who in turn slowly got up from the window, stubbing out his cigarette. He kicked off his shoes, padding over to his bed on the lower bunk below Neil’s. He pulled his knives out of his armbands, placing them under the pillow, before stretching out along the wall on the mattress. Andrew looked up questioningly, waving a vague hand at the empty side of the bed.

Neil started to smile slightly, curling under the blankets at Andrew’s side. Andrew pulled the latest novel he was working on from between the bed and the wall, flipping open to his last page. Neil laid his head down the open pillow, head resting right by Andrew’s propped up elbow, their feet just tangling together.

Andrew unconsciously placed a hand in Neil’s hair, stroking along the side of his head as Neil rested his head facing Andrew. A small smile lingered on Neil’s face as he shut his eyes.

“Goodnight, Andrew.”

The last thing he heard before he drifted off to sleep was a low responding hum in Andrew’s throat. The next morning he missed his first class, but he didn’t regret it one bit.

**Author's Note:**

> I write mostly just angry Neil and soft Andreil at this point, it's becoming a real problem. Also, can I just say how glad I am that ao3 doesn't post what time in the author's timezone works are published because...yeah...I really only post between like 11 and 3:30 in the morning so that's something. You can find me on tumblr at back2beesness, come hmu or send me some shit, I don't really care and I'm always down to say hi.


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